Guidance for the eastern approaches and eastern Solent to Cowes is available in Eastern Approaches to The Solent and the run-up to Southampton. Both provide waypoints, information on approaches, and tide times, as well as guidance for Southampton Waters. Vessels navigating the six-mile length of Southampton Water should keep a listening watch for Southampton VTS, on VHF Ch 12/16, especially around the docks, and prioritise commercial traffic.




The location of the River Hamble is readily identified from a great distance by opening opposite Fawley Power Station. Fawley's single 198-metre-high chimney can be seen from miles away. Opposite the conspicuous Fawley Power Marine Terminal, situated 1.5 miles north of the power station, is the entrance to the River Hamble. Hamble Spit runs out nearly a mile from the River's northern entrance point with the 'Hamble Point' south cardinal, Q(6)+LFl.15s, marking its southern extremity.




Vessels converging on the entrance will find nothing in the way of local hazards by staying in reasonable soundings and following the marks. However, the following should be observed depending upon the direction of approach:

Vessels approaching the River Hamble entrance from the western Solent should take care to only cross Southampton Water when it is free of commercial shipping movements and at as close as possible to a right angle to minimise inconvenience to the busy waterway.




Vessels approaching from Southampton should not be tempted to cut inside No. 2 East Cardinal beacon Q[3] 10s 2M for fear of running up on Hamble Spit. The spit dries 100 metres west of the mark and has a least depth of 0.4 metres out to 100 metres southward, where it remains shallow for some further distance.




It may not be necessary to round Hamble Point South Cardinal buoy Q(6)+LFl. 15s situated ¼ mile southward. Depths of 0.8 to 0.9 metres exist close west of the midway point between the No.2 East Cardinal beacon and Hamble Point south cardinal buoy, so check the tide times and round up accordingly. Likewise, there is at least 2.7 metres for more than 100 metres northwest of the Hamble Point South Cardinal, so, in all events, it is possible to cut inside close north of the south cardinal, but critically, not the No.2 East Cardinal beacon.


RIVER HAMBLE
Hamble Harbour Master holds river jurisdiction, within limits best seen on a chart, on behalf of Hampshire County Council. The Hamble Harbour Master's Office tower, made conspicuous by being circled by white and black bands, stands on the River's east bank, immediately within the entrance, and is the small village of Warsash. The river's principal village of Hamble, officially Hamble-le-Rice, is about a ½ mile above this point. 

The Hamble Harbour Master's Office is contactable by +44 1489 576387 Ch. 68 [Hamble Harbour Radio]. The office is open 8.30 am to 5 pm daily. If the office is unavailable, the Hamble Patrol operates in the summer, 1 April to 30 September, from 6.30 am to 10 pm and in winter, 1 October to 30 April, 8.30 am to 5 pm. The patrol is available on +44 7718 146380 or +44 7718 146381. All vessels should monitor Ch. 68 when underway in the harbour and river where the speed is limited to 6 knots.

The River Hamble is a bustling waterway, so prepare for a substantial amount of predominantly leisure boat movements. Despite this, sailing in the river is not prohibited despite the volume of boating. The harbour master requests that all vessels operating under sail have the engine instantly available and sails ready to be lowered should traffic challenge the fairway. The harbourmaster considers it unseamanlike and discourteous to other river users to use performance downwind sails in the congested waters above the Warsash Jetty. Vessels over 20 metres LOA must contact the Harbour Master on entry or before getting underway.


DEPTHS & BERTHS
The charted river depths from Warsash Jetty to Bursledon Bridge range from 1.2 to 5.7 metres, gradually reducing upriver. Expect the lowest astronomical tides in the River Hamble to have at least:

• • 3 metres to Port Hamble Marina


• • 2.3 metres to Mercury Yacht Harbour


• • 2 metres past Universal to Swanwick Marina


• • 1.7 metres to Deacons with 1.5 metres at its northern end approaching Bursledon Bridge.

However, northeast gales can decrease these depths by 0.6 metres.

The Standard Port is Southampton with Mean Tidal Ranges Springs 4.0m; Neaps 1.9m. During Springs, High Water Warsash, at the head of the river, is 10 minutes after HW Southampton and Low Water is the same as LW Southampton. During Neaps, High Water Warsash is 20 minutes after High Water Southampton and Low Water is 10 minutes afterwards.

A good rule of thumb is that Spring tides occur when HW is at midday or midnight, while Neap tides happen when HW is at 6 a.m. or 6 p.m. The closer the timing of HW to midday or midnight, the stronger the tide. It is helpful to know the berth orientation in advance; if a stream is running, it is easier to come in against the tide. Therefore, you need to know the berth orientation or request an easier berth to approach. Just be aware that the depth will be shallow in the marina area and, in some circumstances, the tidal flow will lessen.



NAVIGATIONAL NOTES


From the entrance steer a course of 352°T passing the Hamble Point south cardinal buoy Q(6)+LFl. 15s to port. Then align to pass the No.1 Q. G 2M to starboard and the No. 2 East Cardinal beacon Q [3] 10s 2M to port at the foot of the marked channel. After these, closely spaced substantial beacons, even numbers to port and odd to starboard, are all fitted with radar reflectors that mark the doglegged outer fairway into the river entrance.

Keep in the white sector Oc (2) WRG 12s, white 351°- 353°T of Hamble Common Light at night. This beacon is the first of two sector lights, both showing red, white and green.




Midway between starboard beacons No.5 (G) and No.7 (G), the fairway alters to starboard, turning around the latter. The course now steers to 028° T in the white sector from the second sector light at Warsash Light-beacon, Iso WRG 6s, white 027° - 029°.




The Warsash Light-beacon leads into the fairway abreast of Warsash Jetty, where the main channel into the River opens up. At the head of Warsash Jetty, the conspicuous Warsash Maritime Life Boat training centre makes for a conspicuous starboard mark.




Above the entrance, keep to the starboard side of the river, between the moorings, Warsash quays, and the midriver pontoons on the west side. Although there are a number of lit navigational piles, the centre of the river is made plain by the density of the moorings in the lower river area. The sheer number of boats encountered here is astounding for most visitors. Moorings, piles or marinas occupy every possible position.




While continuing upriver, the helmsman should maintain a watchful eye for vessels entering and leaving the fairway and the many skirting marinas and moorings. This is particularly the case immediately above the entrance where vessels converge and diverge for Hamble Point Marina . The marina is situated on the west side of the fairway, set behind lines of mid-river pontoons, and accommodates visitors.


On the opposite eastern bank, about ¼ of a mile above the Warsash Jetty, is the Harbour Master's Office fronting the village of Warsash. The building is a conspicuous tower, circled by white and black bands, with a flagstaff. The Hamble River Harbour Master has a jetty with walk-ashore pontoons as well as mid-river piles and pontoons that they make available to visitors on a first come first serve basis. Warsash Sailing Club , the first jetty encountered opposite the Harbour Master's mid-stream visitor's pontoon and below its jetty, receives visitors from RYA attributed clubs.




Less than ½ a mile above Warsash on the west bank of the river is the village of Hamble, officially Hamble le-Rice, with the large scale Port Hamble Marina , that receives visitors, immediately upstream.




A further ½ mile upriver is Mercury Yacht Harbour on the west bank of the river, and it also receives visitors. The level of moorings suddenly reduces to a handful of swing moorings for a short period above Mercury Yacht Harbour.




Here the river turns through 90° to tend north-eastward. At the apex of the bend, on the starboard side or east side of the river, is the Crableck Beacon, Q.G., with a tide gauge. Keep a good boat's length west of Crableck. It is shallow out to 35 metres from the foot of the beacon, and the river's eastern bank dries at LWS less than 40 metres within it.



The piles and mid-river pontoons recommence shortly above in the vicinity of Universal Marina that receives visitors. At the head of this ½ mile reach that fronts Universal Marina, the river turns again through 90° to tend north-westward.




It is essential to pass between the red pile to port, Q.R., and the green Swanwick, Q.G., with a tide gauge, to starboard at the apex of the bend at Bursledon Point before turning northward. Two sets of trots flank the west side of the river above. These must be passed to port, passing the heads of the pontoons of
Swanwick Marina , on the east side of the river, to starboard, that receives visitors.




On the final stretch to Bursledon Bridge, the river turns northwest to pass outside Swanwick Marina . After this, it bends through 90° around the head of Swanwick Marina's long E pontoon, the fuel dock F pontoon, and a steel training wall on the river's starboard (eastern) side. The Jolly Sailor pub and then the pontoons of the Elephant Boatyard stand opposite on the port (western) side.




As the river continues northeast around the training wall, to pass under the bridge, the Elephant Boatyard pontoons lead into Deacons Marina and the adjoining boatyard immediately beyond.




Deacons Marina is situated on the 'upper end' of the meandering Hamble River, on the west bank of the river immediately before Bursledon Bridge. It is the river's sixth marina and for most sailing craft, Bursledon Bridge, with an air draught of 4 metres height (MHWS), marks the effective head of navigation.




At Highest Astronomical Tide, the clearance would be reduced further, so vessels with an air draught close to or above to 3.5 metres may not be able to pass under the bridge at HAT.


LISTED WAYPOINTS
The complete course is 3.33 miles from the waypoint 'Hamble Point South Cardinal' to 'Last Pontoon Deacons Marina' tending in a northerly direction (reciprocal southerly).

What is the best sailing time?

May to September is the traditional UK Sailing season, with June to July offering the best weather. The amount of bad weather varies quite widely from year to year. The British Isles' weather is highly variable because they are islands between the Atlantic Ocean and an extensive continental European land mass. As a result, the entire area lies under an area where five main air masses meet and alternate:

• • Tropical Maritime Air Mass - from the Atlantic


• • Polar Maritime Air Mass - from Greenland


• • Arctic Maritime Air Mass


• • Polar Continental Air Mass - from central Europe


• • Tropical Continental Air Mass - from North Africa

The air masses can come in from any direction, bringing with them all types of weather and creating weather fronts where they meet. Fine summer weather is typically punctuated by the passage of Atlantic depressions, bringing periods of strong wind and rain and sometimes poor visibility.

Gales, however, rarely cause surprises as they are usually forecasted well in advance. Good weather windows of 48 hours are easy to predict, but any longer than that, there's an increasing chance of change. Winters see a predominance of wind and rain. Still, the protected waters of the Solent are enjoyed by many weekenders who like the offseason reduction of boating activity and berthing fees.

Across the British Isles, the prevailing winds are from the southwest. The Solent, however, is subject to a high degree of local heating. In the western Solent, the sea breeze effect can be strong enough to reverse a northeast Beauford Force 3 morning wind and turn it into a south-westerly Force 4 by early afternoon. The results of the heating of the Isle of Wight are much less than those of the mainland, but it leads to more variable and lighter winds than on its northern side.

Are there any security concerns?

Never has an issue been known to occur to a vessel cruising the waters of the Solent or the shores of the Isle of Wight.

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eOceanic Limited